Alec Baldwin is going to university

The 53-year-old actor is in talks with two colleges about enrolling in a master`s programme in politics and government in order to better to understand the post, which he plans to run for some time after 2013.

He explained: "[University will] help me better understand what the fiscal imperatives of that job are.

"What`s the reality of the city unions, of contracts, agreements, teachers, infrastructure, decentralising, everything? And utilities, Con Ed, the M.T.A. - how does it all work?"

The `30 Rock` star - who was born in New York - says he has been asked by supporters to consider running for office in other states but doesn`t want to move from his home city, and thinks he understands the residents there better than he would anywhere else.

He told the New York Times newspaper: "There are people who make a lot of money who become rich people, and then there are people who make a lot of money, but they don`t think like rich people do.

"No matter how much money they have, they are the same from their own upbringing. I would definitely put myself in the latter class.

"What I think the government should be doing, who I think government should be serving, and in what way and what it should be prioritising is a lot different than people would think."

Despite his popularity, Alec admits entering politics is risky and could backfire.

He added: "I am someone who is fully prepared for the fact that I could go into this and do it and completely have my ass kicked.

"I could throw a party and no one could come. And it would be this staggering lesson for me."